Motorcyle and Biker Ride Reports and General Info

Good to see you back Norm! I bought a new motorcycle at a dealer once for $1500.....back in 1967.

I can't imagine how Baja can make a motorcycle for that price, wouldn't just the engine cost more than twice that?

Gary

Thanks Gary, it is good to be writing again.

I have never seen the days of a $1,500 new dealer bike let alone a $1,368.99 brand new bike from Pep Boys :)

It is only 250CC but what is amazing is that it is street legal? I have no clue how they got the price so low but it does make you think about why the prices of other bikes are so high!!

Take Care,

Norm

Yes, back in the 1960's I bought a Triumph 650 new, right around $1200 and Harley Sportsters used to be about $2200 if memory serves right. I think the BMW's were also around $2200.

I was looking at Vespa scooters out of curiosity and the top models sell for $7000 today! amazing.

Even top of the line bicycles are about $2000-$4000, all the way up to $9000 today.

Gary

Hell look at gas! I am paying $3.70 a gallon for 91 octane gas for the Electra Glide! Unreal. The prices of everything are through the roof right now. That is why I posted the article about the cheap motorcycle. I hope someone buys one and reports back to me how it runs.

Norm

Great to see you back again.
On the subject of low cost bikes check out Johnny Pag http://www.johnnypag.com/RoadTest.html and his Spyder. It's a true American bike for only USD 3400!

I have ordered the Australian spec version and hope to get it by end of Jan 08. It costs a bit more here in Sydney as it had to be modified to pass our design rules but it is still only AUD 6000! I can't get a second hand Yamaha V twin for under $8000!

I hope your readers find this bike interesting as well.

Regards from down under.

Thanks Stephen, I will check it out.

Norm

I stopped by PepBoys to see if I could look at one. They didn't carry any street legal bikes and they got shitty when I asked if any others in town did. I bet it's just a teaser.

Federico where are you located. The advertisements I saw were in Southern California. I will look out to see if it is still being advertised.

Norm

Cincinnati, Ohio.

I'm going to check out a Johnny Pag Spyder. There's a dealer
in Shelbyville, IN that has them in stock. They're a lot more
money than the Phoenix (but maybe they cost more because they're
made out of real metal instead of just ink on paper.)

There used to be an old saying; you get what you pay for. I am interested in the Spyder and the Phoenix to see if they are decent motorcycles. Let me know how it goes. By the way, Pep Boys does sell the Phoenix here in Southern California and it is street legal.

Take Care,

Norm

Hi Norm and fellow readers.

In reference to the Johnny Pag Spyder, I had a good look and a test ride before I put a deposit on one and I can say that they are much better in the metal than the pictures suggest.

The whole bike appears to be well made and very solid. In my opinion the price is kept low because it is fitted with a modest engine. It had enough power for commuting to work and riding about the city. I’m not sure it could cruise for long periods of time at 110 KPH (65 MPH) but let’s put this into perspective, the bike only costs about as much as any US made V twin engine! I would be happy to send a review when mine arrives at the end of January if your readers are interested.

Lastly there has been a lot of chatter on the various forums about the warranty on this bike and the voiding of such by fitting the double seating kit. It is offered here in Australia with a 12 month unlimited kilometre warranty and there is no mention of the double seat option voiding the warranty. Obviously our consumer laws differ to the ones in the USA but you might be interested in the logic behind our laws.

In our case all products must be of “merchantable quality” and “fit for the purpose”.
So because the manufacturer or his agent offer the double seat as option to be purchased with the bike then the manufacture or his agent effectively support this option and can not void a warranty because it is fitted. The second point is a bit more complex. Lets say that the manufacture or his agent does not offer the double seat option and you go ahead and fit one anyway. Is your warranty void now? The answer is no, but the manufacturer may void the warranty on the parts that would be damaged by fitting the unauthorised modification, if they could prove that the modification did indeed damage the parts in question. In any case the warranty on the whole bike could not be legally voided. We then get into what a reasonable person could reasonably expect the product to do but you get the idea. Having lived in the Bay Area of CA for many years I would expect that CA consumer protection laws would be very similar to the Australian laws. Anyway the whole subject of motorcycle warranties is something that we would all be interested in. Perhaps you might even start a new thread on this subject.

Regards from Australia.

Pepboys

I talked to another PepBoys in KY and the guy I spoke to thought that only the California locations had them. (They can sell motorcycles in California without a dealers license?)

Well that would explain it!

Norm

PepBoys here near fort worth texas has them. rufe snow and 820 Pepboys. Same cheap price. they look like a honda rebel and a nighthawk and samari look a likes. I didn't ask If I could take one for a ride but I'm considering . . .

Let me know. I am curious to see if we finally have a decently priced street legal motorcycle that everyone can afford!

Norm

Dealer info

I got this e-mail from Baja Motorsports:

Thank you for your interest in a Baja product unfortunately we do not
sell directly to the public. You can purchase a Baja vehicle at the
following stores: Tractor supply, Rural king, Pep Boys, Dick's Sporting
Goods Northern Tool, Mills Fleet Farm, GI Joes, Family Farm and Home,
Canadian Tire, Cost-u-less, Costco, Overstock.com, Blain's farm and
Fleet, BJ's Wholesale, Home depot, Atwoods, and Academy. Not all stores
carry the full Baja product line. Please contact your local store for
product and prices availability.

Thanks for the info Federico. I am sure the Biker Law Blog readers will appreciate it!

Norm

The phoenix looks like a rebranded chinese motorcycle made my Hensim. If not them directly,
then another company that makes similiar bikes. There are a number of chinese cruisers
available in that price range. I have been doing a lot of research lately, which is how I found
this site, on Chinese motorcycles, their quality price etc. I can't say much about the
phoenix since I have tried to research that bike but come up fairly empty. It appears that
one good option is Lifan, they are a well respected company that makes oem products for Honda
among others. Their bikes seem to get good reviews and the v twin 250 is supposed to be
a great engine. The Johnny pag spyder mentioned above (he also has a couple others) has
gotten all positive reviews and the new 300cc water cooled version runs around $4000. His
bike is made in China but he spends a good amount of time there overseeing the production
and it is all his design and specs. The company that makes the bike is also well established.

Hope this helps, I have some more research on other bikes if anyone is interested, you can email
me at info@firehousevt.com.

Thanks

Thanks for your comments Brendan. You have provided some great info!

Norm

I came across the Baja Phoenix this week in a Pep Boys in suburban Philadelphia, and my jaw dropped. A fellow working there described it as Chinese made. He said a mechanic there bought one and likes it. Get's about 80 mpg. It looks good, but has a lot of plastic on it, which figures.

Thanks for the report.

Norm

Would help a lot if i knew where i could order parts from. I have 2 that i bought from an auction, both were busted up bit. If i can get the parts for the phoenix 250, before holiday it would be nice.

Yeah i just bought the baja 250. i think it was well worth it. i live in dallas.
it does have some plastic but overall it is a straight bike. not only that but when u buy it u can get a extended warrant for only $70 bucks which covers it for a extra year. so if anything with the trans or engine goes wrong then u get it fixed for free. it is really smooth and handles bumps well. the clutch is real nice and it turns real good too after u get used to it. i love it so far.!!!!!!!! u should check it out

These low cost bikes seem to come from Lifeng. Here is a URL to the site http://www.regal-raptor.com/english/products.asp
You can see the bikes we have been talking about along with the importers for your country.

Cheers

Hi there ... was looking for info on this Phoenix 250 and found your site. My wife gave me one yesterday for Christmas, been having some fun out there! There is no criticism I could over that could not be overwhelmed by the ridiculously low price of $1,299 ... what a deal!!

The assembly had some issues, I think from Peb Boys. Gear shift lever fell off ((no "C" ring on it) and so did the rear left blinker, don't know if it had a screw that was never tightened or if it never had one, fortunately they don't hang when they come loose so that was fixed for 30 cent screw. Right rear view mirror was loose and falling off too. Checked all the other bolts to be sure.

Had it up to about 70 today, took it ok, the bike is a little light for high speeds but you all know that, it's a 250! Engine ran nice. It has been a long time since I have ridden a street bike, I don't remember if they all had chokes, this one does, and it is easy to forget to close it. Unfortunately I did that for about 30 miles! Sure ran better with it closed!! Doh!!!

The gear shift is a little clunky. I have trouble getting it into neutral, or even out of first when stopped, but that may be because it is new and stiff. The only way I can get neutral is to go to second and lightly come down. Also, I have to actually lift my whole foot into the lever to upshift, I am not sure if this is also stiff "newness", or if the design has the foot lever too high. I also broke my ankle in April 2007 so it may be because of reduced mobility.

Pickup is pretty good for a 250 ... once you get over stupid and turn the choke off.

Two things that really shocked me for a bike in this price range ... it has ELECTRIC START and 5 speeds!

The manual could be better. Overall, how can you criticize a bike that sells for $1299, if it starts without a kick, runs, and get you there?? But even aside from that, it's a fun ride.

Regards,

Steve

Thanks for the review Steve. It sounds like the Biker was probably not assembled right. Screws on any motorcycle work themselves loose. The dealer must check everything and locktight screws that need to be locktighted.

Any thanks for the review and Happy Holidays,

Norm

Saw this sport bike at Pep Boys in Garland Texas. Dallas Suburb.Spent ten minutes checking it out. This is the new sport bike with a real cute fairing. Found following problems immediately!
1-Exhaust pipe and muffler had no support brackets.exhaust system was only being held on by the screws- nuts of the cylinder head..If they broke off - the system would fall onto the lower part of the fairing, which COULD catch fire!!!This is NOT the Phoenix model -but the new model.
2-Gearshift was operated by means of a long rod from a bracket on the transmission shift -shaft. this rod terminated in a ball joint -which was ready to fall off ,as it too much play. it was then connected to the foot shift lever.Too many connections.Also, Pep Boys does not demo bikes. You buy ,THEN you Try it!!!Onl;y wa, ios to find someone who already bought one ,and maybe get to at least see the owner ride it.This bike would suit me perfectly, but, I am scared to take such a chance as I am one of the many ss recipients at the low end of the income level.

The Pep Boys out here in Abilene, TX sells them. I bought one a couple of weeks ago and, aside from Pep Boys not tightening down everything like it should (Mirror, turn signal, shifter) it's been a nice little bike so far. Just make sure that you go over everything well if you buy one because Pep Boys sure ain't going to do it.

well here it goes i just bought a bv250 from pep boys in minnesota the price was 1299.00 first of all pep boys makes you sign a agreement that says you cannot return it to there store you must call baja to get it warranted.. thats right they can sell you the biggest piece of sxit there ever was and there is nothing you can do about it.. well like a dummy i fell for it got the bike(bv 250 ) home and found tons of things wrong with it 1 shift lever was bent 2 would only shift gears intermittently and gets stuck between gears 3 chocke lever does not stay out 4 low beam headlight out 5 tachometer does not work 6 engine does not idle it stalls 7 fuel valve hits the frame alowing to only be partially opened on reserve 8 the starter will only engage about one out of every five times all this and i have not been able to drive the thing due to the shifting and running problems who knows what else could be wrong when i am actually able drive the thing so what did i do about it tried to return it to pep boys they refuced to take the thing back.. so i called baja motorsparts after a long wait on hold (i timed it it was honestly a 30 minute wait) they took all my information and set it up for warranty at a small engine shop (the only good thing i can say about baja mototrsports it they have really good and polite customer service besides the initial wait on hold that is ) now the small engine shop is 30 miles away from me that equaled to a one hundred dollar uhaul bill when i got to the small engine shop the guy told me that it would a long wait (due to the fact that baja motorsports is really slow at getting the parts to them) he said at the verry least 2 months ... its been a verry disapointing experience .. so here i sit waiting for a brand new motorcycle to get fixed that i have not even been able to drive who knows what else could be wrong with it by the time it gets fixed the warranty will be up the moral to this verry true and verry sad story is stay the hexl away from pep boys and stay the hexl away form baja motorsports !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like you got a lemon Tom. I hope they fix the damm thing for you. Others have reported good experiences with the Baja. Sounds like Baja better get some decent dealers out there who can assemble and deal with motorcycles!!

Norm

I started riding dirt bikes at age 9. At 11 I was riding a Honda XR 80, then moved into the two-stroke racers like the CR80, CR 125 and my last bike, the CR 250. I sold that bike at 17 to help finance the purchase of my first car-- which seemed like a much better way to pick up girls for dates lol-- but that was more than twenty years ago, and I've missed being on a bike ever since.

I always hoped there would come a day when I could get my first street bike, but with college, grad school and a mortgage, it never seemed to be the right time. Back in November, I came across an ad for the Phoenix 250 in the Sunday paper. I believe the bike was $1,299. I looked for some info/reviews on the search engines, but there was nothing substantive. I did, however, find your site and the reviews above.

Last month, I decided to buy one and give it a try. I thought, you can't beat a street legal bike for $1,300. Turns out I was wrong... You can. After calling all the Pep Boys I knew in my area-- and each saying they were out of stock, I looked up ther numbers for other stores that were more distant and a couple in the neighboring state. I got lucky and got an emloyee on the line who loved biks and has been riding since he was 5-years-old, he said. He and his manager were the ones who did all the assembly of the Baja bikes when they arrived in the crate. Best of all, he allowed me to pick his brain and he freely shared his opinion for almost 1/2 an hour concerning the Phoenix 250 and I learned quite a bit.

He was very open about the bike's pros and cons, basically saying the bike is what it is-- a great learner's or back-up bike for "around town". He then revelaed that if I wanted one, I might not want to wait too long-- because, he explained, Pep Boys new CEO is restructuring the company and is going to try to get back to its roots as a service-oriented store. The CEO said it's ridiculous for Pep Boys to be carrying a half a dozen ATVs, dirt bikes, mini bikes, motorcycles, scooters, multiple models of gas-powered generators and stainless steel mini refrigerators when their techs are constantly complaining that the parts they need when working on customers' cars are never in stock... So Pep Boys is quitely clearing house of all the "extras" and have already discontinued ordering many products from Baja Motorsports. He confirmed that the last order for the Phoenix 250 was placed last year... The bikes still available are from the Pep Boys warehouse.

The guy had on the display floor. I told him I'd be right over to buy it. When I got there, he met me and we talked for about 15 minutes before we even got around to the issue of price. He said, "I think the bike was a great deal at $1,300, but at $1,099-- that's pretty sweet." Apparently, Pep Boys CEO is so anxious to get the "stuff" out of the way, they lowered the price another $200.00. He said if there were any left at the end of January, you might see them for $999.00. A street legal bike for under a grand... lol

I paid, went and got the paperwork taken care of and he personally went over the bike to make sure everything was tightened down. I waited till the time of day when traffic would be light and took my first ride in twenty years. When I got home, my noze and fingers were frozen-- but at least they matched the smile frozen on my face. Feels really good to ride again... Is it spring yet?

Thanks for taking the time to write such a great review Joe. Enjoy the ride. Now maybe Baja will think about using vendors who actually have experience setting up and servicing motorcycles.

Norm

Hello all, just to update following my first post, mine has 300 miles on it now, has broken in some, shifts smoothly, fun to ride. I take it on back roads to work. It's a light bike, not one I would want to take on the highway with 18 wheelers etc., but I'm sure it could handle it. I have had it 70 mph to test it, but usually don't go over 50-60 on the back roads. I have already saved a ton of money using it for my 17 mile commute. I think it was a GREAT deal. I too had some assembly problems with Pep boys though, mirrors, etc., gotta watch that.

I think it is such a good deal that I have decided to import and sell them in Houston. What's the old line, "so much I bought the company?"

Sounds good Steve! Good luck with your new Motorcycle Dealership. What is the name of your new company?

Norm

Anyone have experience with the 125 cc Chinese street bike they sell? They only had one in the pep boys store here in
Ogden, Utah. I was thinking it would be a great way to save some gas money, and seemed to be ok when I sat on
it and shifted the gear once. It was marked down from $999 to $699. I can maintain it myself if I can
get parts. I rode a yamaha 200 cc 4-stroke in High School (20+ years ago). I'm sure it wouldn't have as much
power, but that's ok. I saw it when I bought the 50cc kid's 4 wheeler yesterday.
The 4 wheeler seemed underpowered compared to
the yamaha 50cc enduro I had as a kid, but my enduro also had a clutch, which this one doesn't. I need to
check to see if it has a govenor or something slowing it down, like they do with go carts these days. Anyone
that has tried the motorcycles or 4 wheelers, please respond to this group or my e-mail.

Thanks,

Ed

look at it on you tube.com well for the price its a good bike it also looks good and its great to learn on so i would say to others go ahead and buy it so go to my youtube account and see it for ur self yhe only problem i had was the lights but i fix that my self well have fun

i brought the baja heat minibike really nice but slow tops at 30 mph i would ride it to school im a senior and take it off roading until i ran into the po po. Now i am gona return it and think i want to buy a street legal baja vision street bike can anyone tell me if this is a good bike or if the Baja Phoenix is better i think the vision is smaller and more manuvrable but what do i know. I dont want to spend alot of money and find out i cant ride it legaly or somthing i live in seattle wa.

I'd never buy one. Instead, I'd look around for a used Honda Rebel or any other of the REAL motorcycles. I helped a buddy put together a Lifan scooter - what a mess. He has put about 2000 miles on it, without losing many parts, but I just value reliability. I don't want the hassle of not knowing whether I'm going to make it somewhere or not. Heck, I got a used Honda 550 Four for $200 some years back, put tires, clutch,chain, sprockets on that, and rode it 30,000 miles. I don't think any of these will last 10,000- what a waste of resources.

On the other hand, the more people on two wheels, the better.
Cheers, Mac

There are several Pep Boys in my local area that carry Baja Motorsports products, but very few have the two street legal versions. I am more interested in the X250 dirt bike. Obviously these bikes will not have as much power as similar bikes made by the major dealers(Honda,Yamaha,Kawasaki,Suzuki) but for the money you can't beat it. In researching more affordable street bikes to battle high gas prices I have found a few chopper options. One group I talked to informed me that they were going to be producing 3/4 scale choppers with a 200cc motor with an old school design for around $1800.00. I guess thay are still in the works. The name of the company is Addiction Motorsports, I keep checking the website but I guess it is still in progress.

I purchased BAJA VISION 250 a few days ago from GI Joes (now called JOES Sports). Advertised price $2,198. Sale/rebate = $1,800. On freeway easily got to 60-65mph, but shaky. It would be hard to pass car that did not want you pass. Next week I want to run it through experienced service center (if I can find one) to check it out. Good looking and fun bike. Great for what I need for commuting. But I wouldn't enjoy highway for an hour drive.

With the price of gas these days it appears that these inexpensive motorcycles are the ticket!

Norm

Even though the Phoenix Baja 250 was advertised every Sunday in the Pep Boys circular, I could never find one in Tucson or Phoenix. I was finally told that I had to find a Pep Boys with a dealer's license, so I ended up driving over to El Paso at Thanksgiving and buying one there. They sold it to me with no state tax since I was taking it immediately out of state in the bed of my pickup. I had no problems registering it in Arizona. I recently changed the oil after the initial 600 miles break-in period and have no problems with it except for loose screws and a tight shift lever, which makes it a little difficult to get it into neutral at times. Otherwise it is smooth-running, starts easily and has adequate power for a 250. I have had it on the freeway a couple of times--top speed seems to be about 70. The bike is light and it's a little intimidating with the numerous semis and areas of grooved highways we have around Tucson. I have had my lady friend on it with me a few times and it seems to handle the extra weight OK. For 1300 bucks and gas here going for $3.85 a gallon, I think it will pay for itself in short order. However, it is not a bike I would take on the freeway for a long road trip but I think it would be comfortable enough for distance travel on secondary roads. The bike is a bit of a conversation piece when I tell admirers it was manufactured in the great Republic of China. I will probably be concerned when it comes time to replace parts on it. However, Baja Motorsports is actually located near here in Tempe, Arizona and I plan to drop by there soon just to check parts availability and to see if a service manual is available. The owners manual has only basic information.

Let me tell you Denis with the speed limit being 70mph on the freeways and highways of Arizona, even riding a Harley can sometimes be intimidating! I have ridden Highway 40 many times through the State on various motorcycles each with over 1000 CC's and it got hairy at times!

Don't feel bad about the gas; we are paying $4.25 a gallon for regular unleaded right now. My Harley Electra Glide takes premium which is about $4.50 a gallon right now. I have heard that we will be up to 7 bucks a gallon by the end of the summer. We are screwed. I sure hope someone steps in and goes after those that are causing our gas to be so high.

Anyway.........,

Norm

Ok, I should be up doing my homework now (university student), but my dad...just emailed everyone the pics of his band new Phoenix 250. It looks nice. I had to reread the email when he said he got it at Joes... (I'm glad somebody specified that used to be GI Joes--my dad lives in Oregon) for less than $1500.00. I thought at first it was just because dad lives in Oregon and I live about 110 miles north in Washington and it was just price differing. I had never heard of this brand. I've been *in love* with an a Aquilla 250 for about 18 months now and out the door from my dealer here $4400.00. He keeps telling me its a solid bike that will last me for years. I in part believe him (other dealers in town have blatently lied to me. I know I'm a single woman with 2 kids, but come on, I know a little something about bikes...)anyway. BUT, being a single parent with two kids under the age of 6, I would only be riding every other weekend when they are at their dad's. Maybe this would be a better buy? Even for the price, I still need to do more research. Plus, I wanted the 250 because I wanted to be able to go to Oregon maybe 1x a year, which is about 110 miles south of me. I thought the 250 at 60mph would be sufficient. Maybe I was wrong? or does that vary between brands too?

Just my thoughts. Thanks for all your posts!

Misty

Well Misty I would not mind talking to you about motorcycles. You may call me at my office anytime.

Norm

hey guys. I'm a high scho grad who just sold his car and is looking to buy a sturdy bike for college. I was at pep boys in socal today and saw a baja vision. I was curious to see if this bike is reliable for only 1300. Would a Kawasaki ninja 250 be a better investment for about $2000?

Well if it were me Sean, I would probably go with the Kawasaki Ninja 250 if it was only $700.00 more. Kawasaki has been around for a lot longer and they have established motorcycle service centers nationwide and in Southern California.

If you were talking thousands more that would be different. However for $700.00 more, well I would go with a proven brand name.

Just my humble opinion.

Norm

thanks norm :)

Just get a Ninja 250 instead, a used one if necessary. Don't mess around with this Chinese junk, it will end up being more expensive than the Ninja in the end, due to extensive repairs, low quality parts, etc... You can get a used Kawasaki Super Sherpa for about $2,000 and it has 28hp, electric start, digital gauges, and quality Japanese construction.

From Lionel.:

2-Gearshift was operated by means of a long rod from a bracket on the transmission shift -shaft. this rod terminated in a ball joint -which was ready to fall off ,as it too much play. it was then connected to the foot shift lever.Too many connections.

I had the very problem that Lionel warned about: My shifter rod fell off where the foot shift lever is...

I called Baja Motors and waited the obligatory 30 minutes, but I didn't have the receipt (they said that they needed information that was on the receipt). Fine. I had to go home, get the receipt and call them back.

I waited another 30 minutes and the next customer service rep told me that she would e-mail a list of authorized repair shops in my area and to call her back when I found the nearest one.

I called back again...and waited another 30 minutes...only to have some punk tell me that the other two customer reps didn't know their job well enough and that the repair work wasn't covered by the warranty. He wasn't going to submit a work order to get my bike repaired! After a few choice words, I hung up.

I decided to call them back one more time to ask for repair support and if not that they would be hearing from my attorney. After the 30 minute wait, this time the customer support agent said (without the threat of my attorney) that she was going to FAX a work order to the local repair shop to get the faulty workmanship repaired.

The repair shop never got the FAXed work order. The mechanic, being a fine example of a human being, fixed my bike for free without the work order. He was the only redeeming factor in the whole story. Whenever I need work on my bike I'll take it to him, but as for Baja Motors? Whether it's an ATV, dirtbike for road model, I'll never purchase another item from Baja Motors again.

That sucks Lance. Well price is one thing, but if they won't give good customer service, well.......

Norm

I happen to be the Assistant Manager of the Pep Boys in Fayetteville, NC. We sell quite a few Baja transportation products in our store, unfortunately the Phoenix 250 is not allowed to be sold at a retail store in NC because the size of the engine requires it to be register in our state. I did travel to a store in Virginia for a meeting and they did have one on display for me to check out. Personally, I'm not much of a biker but I have been entertaining the thought of purchasing one lately. As far as it being a Baja product, I've heard they aren't the easiest to get in touch with from some of our customers but if the quality is anything like the rest of our Baja line then I'm confident it's worth the $1999.99.

Hi this is now 2009 , The Baja Phoenix 250cc motorcycle surely has been revised . I got a pep boys mamager to grab one out of the warehouse and assemble it over the weekend Monday when I arrived the motorcycle was very sturdy and appeared solidly built . The cost was around $2000. and it displayed the Baja logo . The feel was like a Honda Rebel although the Phoenix is a taller motorcycle at the seat which was more comfy to my long legs . Also I wanted a second opinion of this bikes parts availability and warranty . I went to another Pep boys in Chicago . The manager informed he had one left at the warehouse and he could have it together next week . I arrived early saturday . The motorcycle was in bad condition , the handle bars were stripped and hanging , also the shift lever cable was broken . The manager said the lever broke when he was assembling the linkage cable . This certainly leaves me with mixed feelings . Although The first manager assured he handles al the motorsport items personnally , what happens if he leaves and the other store manager takes over ? Since then I have tried other dealers and online there are many Baja 250cc look-a-likes . I seen one made by Roketa .

I ordered a Baja 250 in August 2009 and it arrived in October at Joe's Sports in Federal Way Washington. It had a problem right out of the store and I took it in for service. It took a couple of weeks to get it back from the shop in Puyallup, WA. I love the bike and it is very sexy looking. I hope it holds up as I am not a mechanic and it only came with a 90 day warranty.

I purchased a Baja Vision 250 in Lynnwood, WA. I used to race dirt bikes many years ago, and was able to go through it and get it set up right. It now idles relatively well, and runs pretty good.

I too haven't had any luck finding a parts supplier. It appears that Baja Motorsports doesn't stock parts for this model. Does anyone know of a parts house in the U.S.?

I would love to put a 16 tooth front sprocket on this bike, as the top end is way too low. Does anyone know an equivalent Japanese bike that uses the same spline and shaft size?

I just bought my son the Baja Heat, I love the think my son is only 12 but he handles it just fine and I don't mind telling ya I have alot of fun with it too!
I saw the Phoenix 250 on thier website and I want one
I live on Long Island NY any suggestions how I can get one caue pep boys aint got it and I don't think we got Joes around here.

Hello all I have the baja 250 Phoenix. I have put around 200miles on the bike. It is smooth, has good get up and go, and turns very well. Its a overall great bike to ride. Well worth the money, for a fun ride.
Also people stop and look at it and don't even question that it is only 250cc. I have even gotten thumbs up from other bike riders.
So if you want a low cost well running bike this one is for you.

Hey Guys My Wife Gave It To Me For My Birthday, She Had It At A Freinds House And Surprised Me On My Birthday...NOW THATS AN AWSOME WIFE!!!!!!! Thank you SWEETHEART

I was wanting to buy a baja pheonix 250 and was wondering is it a good bike to have. does it last? whats top speed? how's the exceleration? I've been rideing dirt bikes my whole life and a little road, I like the look of them. thanks

I suggest that you email some of the guys on here who bought one and ask them what they think!

Norm

I just bought the Baja Phoenix 250 from GI Joes here in Washington. The store was going out of business and they sold me the bike for about $950.00. I don't have a licence or anything yet so I'll be picking it up tomorrow via truck and take it to an empty parking lot for some practice.

I'll report back once I've had a chance to ride it. But it seemed like a cheap price for a biginner bike. If it lasts me 2 summers, I'll be happy with the purchase.

I'll have to double check all the screws though seeing as that seems to be a common issue if bought from Joes.

Milton
Co-Host of Old School / New School Podcast
www.oldschoolnewschoolpodcast.com

i got a 250 pheonix from a g.i. joe's that was going out of business in meridian idaho (about 7 miles west of boise) for 1173.45 after tax (here in idaho it was 2200 before they went under). it rides pretty well. the horn doesnt work and but all other functions seem fine. it does need about 5 minutes to warm up before it will speed up without dieing while accelerating. its quiet in comparison to other bikes. ive only made it to 40 mph on a test drive but it was still quite enjoyable. cant wait to get it licensed tomorrow and commute to work.

So I've had mine for about two weeks now. Was just practicing on the bike for a week before I went out and got my permit.

Unfortunatly, the same day I got my permit is the same day that the front tire went flat on me. But it was actually super easy to remove the tire and take it somewhere to get fixed (cost $25). Then is was a snap to put the tire back on. Been riding it ever since with no other issues.

Not bad for a bike that only cost me about $1,000.

Milton
Co-Host of Old School / New School Podcast
www.osnspodcast.com

I don't care what anyone says, MY Johnny Pag Spyder won a 2nd place trophy right out of the store in a LowRider car show here in Austin, Texas. I've driven it 215 miles to Galveston AND back, then I went to the ROT biker rally with the pride of a sixteen year old and a new girl friend. THIS IS the best bang for the buck that we Americans can get in this country today. Thanks Mr. Pag for your thoughtfulness and your motorcycle!!

Well, I'll be darned! You guys are all talking about Tank motorcycles!!! I own a 2007 Vision 250 that is sold and registered in California as a Tank. I also own a SunL Kungfu 250 that has the same engine. I've replaced the clutch in the SunL ( I hate the Kungfu designation and took those decals off the bike) with a Tank (model name Kahos) part. Same thing. Parts? try Tank Warehouse=>www.atvpartsusa.com. Clutch assy was $66.99 on 7-02-09. To 'talk' to them: Gayla@Tank-Sports.com

These bikes, delivered to California, don't run well thanks to the oversight enabled by us Tax-payers via the California Air Resources Board. However, using Kehin small jets and tinkering with the adjustable jet needles, they both run fine now. The Tank also had a votage regulator problem that was solved with a huge replacement. The tank has a VERY big alternator that runs 2 35w Halogens and a tail light full time with no dimming at idle. Tank also has a twin disc ABS on the front, Honda is JUST NOW introducing ABS on a BIG sport model! Tank was my 16 Year old daughter's 1st bike. She rode for 1600 miles and now has a 2009 Ninja 250R. Kaw dealer was impressed by Tank's ABS system. Ninja is smoother and faster.
The Tank 250s are great 1st rides. she dropped it once. At $1400 a laydown is pretty much a so-what. And now she knows how to avoid that with her $4000 Ninja

It looks like some of the pieces on the UNAVAILABILTY of this bike have come together through the posts, but let me just clear it up thoroughly. If it is street legal the idiots running most states think you should pay THEM for it as well. In order to run that scam they have to regulate ownership cradle (original seller) to grave, (junkyard). At both points and in between they want to tax you as much as possible. It's THEIR fault!!!

i just bought a baja pheonix 250 on the 29th of november.
it did take them about 3 weeks to "get it ready" even though it was already assembled in the store. when i eventually went to pick it up (i think on dec 17th) it looked nice from a far but when i got closer, the horn didnt work, it was ticking over way too fast and some nuts and bolts were missing here and there. i wasnt afraid to tell the guy about these things and he was happy enough to supply me with a new horn and fit the bike with the missing nuts and bolts it needed. gave me some mirrors and i loaded it into my dads truck to take it home.
when i got it home i found a variety of problems which were easy enough to fix, and found that the plastic bit that you lock the seat on was snapped. i am currently awaiting the new seat from my local pepboys.
im 14 and apparently in texas because its 250cc you can ride it without a license because it is classed as a moped. nether the less when i ride with my dad down to the local wal mart (pretty cool huh) i get looks because nobody can tell what the hell it is. although you cant hear it at all over my dads harley, its a hell of a lot more reliable than his 89 springer. the baja just seams to go and go and if something is wrong it is usually operator error (i.e. i do something wrong and it is a simple and easy fix to get it running tip top again)
hope this helps people wanting to buy one of these bike. oh and one more thing ive noticed, it sounds like a tuned up honda civic (but a lot quieter) lol
i am still not won over by the looks but other people tell me it looks sweet so...
cheers, jack

The Baja 250 is made by Hensim. The frame is a copy of the Suzuki GZ250 and the engine is a copy of the Honda Rebel 250 with a few differences.

The bike itself is solid and well built but dealer set up is very important. Unfortunately since these bikes are sold through retail auto parts and sporting goods stores they are usually slapped together by someone who knows nothing about motorcycles. I would not recommend buying one of these bikes if you are not mechanically inclined and prepared to go through it right at the start to put it in good running order.

I took a chance and bought one of these bikes new for a ridiculously low price because I've had good luck with other Chinese bikes and engines. There were many small, easy to fix problems, due to it not being set up by a competent mechanic.

Conclusion: This is a good sturdy little bike that should hold up well. Gas mileage is excellent. Parts are available if you do a bit of research. Price is hard to beat. It's a good commute bike, quiet and comfortable. There is some useful info on chinariders.net.

I live in Georgia, the Baja Phoenix is available here, I bought one last week, it cost me 2300 dollars tax and all. It is a sweet bike for the cost and i have enjoyed learning to ride. For anyone who doesn,t know about Baja, they have been around for a while mostly for off road recreation, baja has just recently gotten into the on road bikes. if you like the way the phoenix looks check out the vb version of the bike on the baja web site.

thank you

I purchased the 250 Pheonix last year from Joe's in Boise-Meridian, Idaho. I actually got a great deal with the additional discount w signing up for a Joe's credit card. The problem started as I left the store for my ride home. The bike was obviously not checked out at all. Everything was rattling loose and the bike kept stalling at low speed and stops. It performed more like a 125cc, as it was very slow off the start and took a long time to reach highway speed. I would suggest having it professionally checked out and tuned-up to avoid what could prove disasterous on two wheels. Given MC labor costs, this could run into at least a few hundred dollars. There is no comparison between a 250 Ninja and this bike. The Ninja is like a rocket, compared to something that performs more like a moped. Nowadays, I prefer the cruiser style vs. cafe racer. I returned the bike a feew days after purchase and Joe's took it back without a problem. I am now in the market for a small moped or scooter and debating between buying a cheap Chinese model or a much pricier Taiwanese brand. If the latter, I would opt for Costco, which has the best return policy if something does go wrong. However, I'm not sure what they are carrying this week! I know I got off on the scooter track, but just thought I'd share the info.
Good luck! Id also like to see more motorcycles, scooters, and bikes on the road. Oh, and with regard to the price of gas, you know it will shoot up again. The oil companies will, of course, profit immensely. They are the biggest campaign contributors, second only to the drug companies, and are consequently driving energy policy. I am all for moving onto two wheels and two feet as much as possible.

hi i am looking to get a bike and i am looking to finance the bike so if you do that it be cool thank you

i have a baja pheonix 250 and have driven the crap out of it for about 2 yrs. the gearshift is sticky, it is hard to find neutral,but overall you get what you pay for as with anything else.i love it ,it was the perfect learner bike and yes i had to take it home and tighten bolts nad screws but that is to be expected. overall well worth it

Both my ex-roommate and I bought one of these motorcycles a couple of years ago at Joe's Sporting Goods in Washington State.
I bought the Hensim PX250S model while she has the other PX250 "crusier" model, yes, they do have 2 different types of cruisers other than the "sport bike" style.
Her bike, (other than a few adjustments)has been a fine, dependable little city bike, and I've had little to no problems with it,(yes, if you buy one of these bikes you had better be ready to work on it yourself, plus, you better have an idea of what your doing before you start as there are no 'shop' books for them that I know of.
My PX250S model on the other hand, has been giving me problems since day one. Not only did I spend an hour and a half, right outside the front door of Joe's, wrenching on the thing just to make to safe enough to ride home,(upsetting the store manager as he didn't like the "advertisement" for a product he was selling, to bad guy, next time check the assembly work before you give it to the customer!) but, the first thing to go was the speedometer cable, they had routed it wrong putting to much of a bend in it causing it to bind and then break,(note, the cable can be replaced on this model with an older Suzuki cable). The next thing was the starter, it had not been assembled correctly at the factory and a seal was out of place which allowed mosture in, rusting the interior case and rotor.
After fixing that, I found the battery was shot, Joe's had not filled it fully there by ruining the battery, this part was, so far, the easiest to find.
Now, just last week, I had it out and about for a ride. After making a few stops I stopped in at a store to get a Lotto ticket, when I went to start it again I turned the key and nothing, no power at all. After checking the fuse, (yes, there is just one main fuse located on the solenoid) I found it was blown, easy fix right!, (I always carry a spare) WRONG, after changing the fuse, I turned the key and nothing again, no power at all.
After taking half the bike apart in the parking lot I couldn't find the problem, so I reassembled it and had to push her 3 miles home. Now, a week-week and a half later I still haven't tracked down the problem, although, now when I turn the key, after a few seconds, the neutral light will slowly come on, but, a push of the starter button and the light goes out and the solenoid won't even click,(yes the battery is fully charged) I've checked all the wires with a multimeter and all seem good, so I'm thinking a switch, however, good luck with contacting Baja Motorsports for parts and pricing, I've been trying ever since the first problem, and while they do have a parts list on their website, it dose not include a price list, and contacting the company only gets you, "please call this,(long distance) number for price and availability", so much for customer service.
What it really comes down to is, if you get lucky and get a good one, their great, a lot of fun to ride, IN TOWN, (these ARE NOT highway bikes) but, be ready to work on them yourself, as most shops have either never heard of them or don't want to touch them. If you get a bad one, well!!!
If anyone wants more info or has an ideas what's wrong with my bike, or knows where I can find parts email me. jeff_wald at yahoo dot com

I have been looking for a cheap learner bike for about 6 months now and am not sure what to get. i came across this Baja Phoenix 250 today on craigslist for $850 and just wanted to learn a little more. all of yalls comments have been helpful but i still have a few questions.

1) is it a reliable bike for a broke college student who has to travel about 20 miles to school everyday... 15 of those miles highway?

and

2) i am a pretty tall guy, about 6 foot 5 or 6'6", do you think this would be comfortable for a person of my stature?

Thanks

My son was interested in this, so I decided to take a look. Thanks for the link. I will check it in a bit and see what I can learn about it.

North CA. This bike resembles the TANK 250 KAHOS that i bought in Sep 08; KTM-MEX on frame neck. I also owned a SunL 'KUNG-FU' 250 w/ same engine. clutch basket exploded on that one. I got parts O.K. Since, TANK Motorsports declared bankruptcy Jan 1 2010. I had alreday sold both of these good looking but poor performing motorcycles in favor of a HD Sporty and a Ninja 250R.

Was this for real? These were my biker days. Man, this would have been superb. Glad that I had this blog bookmarked. Always good to learn about deals like these.

I have a 2009 Johnny Pag Pro Street with the 300 engine. Is it normal for the engine to vibrate excessively around 2000 - 2500 rpm? During this rpm range, or 35 - 45 mph, I can barely see the reflections in the mirrors.